Orioles Moving to Sarasota

Take a deep breath - the Birds aren't leaving Baltimore.

The team is moving its spring training facility across the state of Florida, from Fort Lauderdale to Sarasota. The move represents a giant step up for the franchise, which had been using antiquated facilities that included a weight room in a parking lot tent. In Sarasota they'll play in Ed Smith Stadium, which will undergo $31 million worth of renovations.

With the move to the Gulf Coast, the team will have its major and minor league camps in the same place for the first time - a big competitive advantage. It also will be much closer to many more major league teams' spring training sites, making travel less arduous. From a competitive standpoint, it's a big plus for the O's.

I think the move will play well with the fans as well. Fort Lauderdale Stadium was nothing special ballpark-wise, and is located in a very nondescript part of town. Anyone (like me) who's been to Sarasota knows it's a beautiful part of the state, and anyone who hasn't been there should start thinking about booking a trip in March 2010.